Unitary steam separator and throttle



- 0d. 20, 1936. A. B. BLOME UNITARY STEAM SEPARATOR AND THROTTLE Filed Oct. 16, 1935 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Fatentecl Oct. 20, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNITARY STEAM SEPARATOR AND THROTTLE August B. Blome, Mount Vernon, N. Y., assignor to The Superheater Company, New York,

This invention relates to a unitary steam separator and throttle particularly adapted for mounting in the steam dome of a locomotive boiler.

It has heretofore been proposed to locate the throttle as well as the steam separator in the steam dome and in one such arrangement the separator casing is superimposed on the throttle casing. However, in such arrangements the over- 3 all height of the superimposed casings is often excessive in view of the limited space within the dome and hinders access to these parts for connecting the throttle to the dry pipe or for making repairs or adjustments. An object of the present invention is to provide a unitary steam separator and throttle which is simple and compact in construction and which may readily be fitted into a steam dome.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a vertical sectional view showing the construction of the unitary steam separator and throttle of the invention; and

Figure 2 is a view along the line 2-2 in Figure 1.

The steam separator and throttle of the present invention is shown for purposes of illustration as located in the steam dome II] on the casing II of a locomotive boiler. The steam separator comprises a casing I2 open at its upper end to the dome III for admitting steam in a direction parallel with the axis of the casing. A plurality of blades I4 are arranged circumferentially about the upper central portion of the chamber formed by the casing so that steam, deflected outwardly from the central space as described hereafter,

receives a whirling motion from the blades which.

causes drops of water carried in suspension to be thrown outward against the inner wall of the casing. The separated water is discharged from the casing through tangential outlets I5 communicating with a pocket I6 formed by the casing wall and an annular flange I'I near the bottom of the casing. The steam passes around a baffle plate I8 extending across the central portion of the casing between the bottom edges of the blades I4 and is discharged through an elbow I9 communicating with the bottom of the casing and with the dry pipe (not shown).

As shown herein the casing I2 is provided with a neck portion formed interiorly below the top thereof with an annular flange 2|. supporting a valve seat 22. The throttle is located centrally within casing I2 and comprises a valve disc 23 engageable with seat 22 and connected by a hub 24 to a balancing piston 25. The piston 25 operates in a cylinder the bottom of which is formed by the baflle plate I8 and the side wall of which consists of a sleeve 26 supported, below the blades I4, on the baffle plate. A pilot valve 21 controls admission of steam from dome ID to the under side of piston 25 through a passage formed in the hub 24. At its lower end the stem of the pilot valve is provided with a nut 28 engageable with the underside of piston 25 for raising the main valve 23 from its valve seat 22, both valves being operable through a common lever system.

When pilot valve 21 is raised steam passes from dome I0 through the passage in hub 24 to the underside of piston 25 to balance valve 23 so that it may be opened readily. Upon raising the stem of the pilot valve further to engage the nut 28 with the underside of piston 25 the throttle valve 23 may be raised from its seat admitting steam to the central portion of the casing above piston 25. Steam entering the casing parallel to its axis strikes the upper side of piston 25 and is deflected thereby to flow outwardly between the blades I4 which impart a rotary motion to the steam, causing drops of water to be separated therefrom.

In the unitary steam separator and throttle described above, the throttle occupies the central portion of the separator casing which space is. ordinarily not utilized but neither the valve nor the associated piston interfere with the proper functioning of the separator. Thev portion of the casing about the steam admitting opening thereof is utilized to support the valve seat. The upper face of the balancing piston for the valve serves to deflect the steam outwardly to the blades thus serving the function usually performed by the bafile that is provided opposite the steam entrance. The bafile in turn acts as the end wall of the cylinder for the piston and the depression of the bafiie centrally thereof to provide for a piston cylinder of adequate size does not materially increase the overall height of the casing as compared to that for a separator alone. The construction described also eliminates a separate casing for the throttle. As a consequence the unitary steam separator and throttle of the invention is simple and compact in construction.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a steam separator having a casing formed with an opening at one end for admitting steam in a direction parallel to its axis, a plurality of blades positioned circumferentially about the central portion of the chamber formed by said casing and adapted to impart a rotary motion to steam passing through said casopening acting to deflect steamoutwardly to said blades on opening of said valve; and means for admitting steam to said cylinder to act on the piston therein for balancing said valve."

2. In combination with a steam separator hav ing a casing formed with. an opening at one end for admitting steam in a direction. parallelto its I axis, a plurality of blades positioned circ umfer-V I entially about the central portion of the chamber formed by said casing and adapted to impart a rotarymotion to' steam passing through said casing for separating water therefrom, a bafiie plate spanning the central space between the bottom edges of said blades, and means for discharging steam and water from saidcasing; a valve seat located adjacent said casing opening; a piston cylinder disposedcentrally of said casing oppositesaid opening andbelow the inner ends of said blades; a balanced throttle mounted in the'central portion of said casing comprising a valve member engageable with said valve seat and a piston connected thereto and disposed in said cylinder; and means for admitting steam to said cylinder to act on the piston therein ior-balanc-i ing said valve. a

3. In combination with a steam separator hav-- ing a casing formed with anopening, at one end for admitting steam in'a direction parallel to its axis, a plurality of blades positioned circumferand disposed in said cylinder, the face of said piston opposite saidentially about the central portion of the chamber formed by said casing and adapted to impart a rotary motion to steam passing through said casing for separating water therefrom, a baflle plate spanning the central space between the bottom edges of said blades, and means for discharging steam and water from said casing; a valve seat fitted in said casing opening; a sleeve member supported in' said casing on said bafile plate and cooperating with the latter to form a piston cylinder; a balanced throttle mounted in the central portion of said chamber comprising a valve disc engageable with said valve seat and a piston associated therewith and disposed in the piston cylinder formed by said sleeve and baffle plate; and means for admitting steam to said piston cylinder for balancing said valve.

4. In combination with a steam separator having a casing formed with an opening at one end "for admitting steam in a direction parallel to its axis, aplurality of blades positioned circumferentially about the central portion of the chamber formed by said casing and adapted to impart a rotary motion to steam passing through said casing for separating water therefrom, and means for discharging steam and Water from said casing a bafiie plate extending across saidchamber between the lower edges of said blades and having the central portion thereof depressed below said blades to form the end wall of a piston chamber opposite said opening; a sleeve member cooperating with said depressedportion of said baffle plate to form a piston cylinder; a valve seat fitted in said casing opening; abalancedthrottle in said casing comprising a valve member engageable with said valve seatand a balancing piston connected'the'reto and disposed i aidpiston c linder; and means for admitting steam to said piston cylinder for balancing said valve.- I U I e UGUST B- 

